1. PSY – GANGNAM STYLE

2,879,287,942 views

2. Taylor Swift – Blank Space

2,088,564,435 views

3. Wiz Khalifa – See You Again. Charlie Puth (Furious 7)

2,850,776,581 views

YouTube uses an algorithm (ie. a formula) for calculating the amount of income earnt by a clip from advertising. There are multiple issues involved including how long viewers watch the ad, the demographics (age group) and the actual sales (Retailers actually do review ad costs vs increased sales. Always. They are not idiots.)

Here is the basic method used to calculate ad revenue for a Youtube creator. Remember, a creator must have a minimum of 10,000 hits on their channel before any revenue is paid.

Of course, pop stars use Youtube as a promotion platform. They can earn money through multiple Youtube clips, sponsors, merchandise and live perfomances. Nevertheless, it is surprising how little money is earned by each clip.